Tecumseh to apply for 2016 grant to pay for street repairs

Thursday

Mar 6, 2014 at 1:00 PM

By David FrownfelderDaily Telegram Staff Writer

A grant to help pay for major road work in Tecumseh will be sought.

On a unanimous vote Monday, the Tecumseh City Council authorized city manager Kevin Welch and Department of Public Works director Tim Bock to apply for a $375,000 Small Urban Grant for 2016. The funds, if approved, would help cover the estimated $470,000 cost for upgrades to the entire length of Burt Street and North Maumee Street from East Chicago Boulevard to Evans Street.

“This is a competitive grant that needs to be submitted in the next few weeks. There is no guarantee we will receive any or all of the $375,000,” Welch said. “We can do a ‘mill and fill’ approach that will cover more area. However, the longevity is about seven to 10 years’ life expectancy.”

The cost for mill and fill on Burt is estimated at $174,000, compared to a $400,000 total rebuild. The North Maumee project has a cost estimate of $159,000, compared to a rebuild estimate of $356,000. A complete street rebuild has a life expectancy of at least 12 years, Welch told the council.

Bock recommended the city either do both Burt and Maumee as mill and fill or do a complete rebuild of Burt Street. Welch said regardless of which approach the city takes, it would have to pay at least 25 percent of the cost, which would cover engineering work. The total local match would be about $94,000.

Welch and Bock said the city looked at upgrading several streets besides North Maumee and Burt. Consideration was given to South Union Street from West Chicago Boulevard to Patterson Street, and North Union from West Chicago to Brown Street.

Two sections of Evans Street were also considered. They included South Evans from Chicago to Kilbuck Street and North Evans from Chicago to Water Street.

Once the funds are secured, Welch said, the city will decide what projects to do.